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BOSTON BOARD OF TRADE. 


Committee on gJnwMt of (nothing 


REPORT 


AND 


EQUIPMENTS. 


ADOPTED MARCH 7th, 1862. 





















BOSTON BOARD OF TRADE. 

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REPORT 


COMMITTEE ON BUREAU OF CLOTHING 







AND 


EQUIPMENTS. 


ADOPTED MARCH 7, 1862. 



PRINTED BY ALFRED MUDGE & SON, 34 SCHOOL STREET. 



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BOSTON BOARD OF TRADE. 


The Committee appointed at a special meeting of the 
Government of this Board, on the 18th of November, 
1861, and re-appointed on the 3d of February, 1862, 
to inquire into the expediency of applying to M. C. 
Meigs, Quartermaster-General of the United States 
Army, to establish a Bureau of Clothing and Equip¬ 
ment for New England, with headquarters at Boston, 
deeply sensible of the importance of the subject, have 
endeavored to perform the duty assigned to them with 
fidelity and intelligence; and now present you with a 
record of their doings, for the purpose, principally, of 
soliciting your advice as relates to their future action. 

On the 23d of November, we addressed Gen. Meigs, 
in nearly the following words : 

“ The water power of the Merrimac and Saco alone 
is sufficient to supply the clothing for one hundred mil¬ 
lions of people. The genius of Northern men leads 
them to invent and to improve every kind of machinery. 
The climate and soil of the North forbid either large or 
profitable investments in agriculture, and thus the in¬ 
habitants of New England, by the very necessities of 
their position and condition, are compelled to work 
wool and cotton and leather, and to build and employ 


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ships. As relates to manufacturing, by an experience 
which has cost many millions of dollars, we claim that 
in skill, in perfection of machinery, in system, and in 
economy, the New England States are in advance of 
any other States of the Union. So, too, we claim that 
the woolens and cottons produced in these States can be 
made into garments in large quantities, and quite a 
profit cheaper than elsewhere. As this is the material 
point, you will permit us to state well ascertained facts. 

44 The making of clothing in New England is not, as 
in some other sections, a regular, but, as a rule, an inci¬ 
dental business. The cost of the railroads which ter¬ 
minate in Boston, is fifty-four millions of dollars; and 
by means of these roads, and expressmen to the most 
remote towns and villages, the wives and daughters of 
mechanics, farmers and fishermen, are continually sup¬ 
plied with fabrics by the dealers in clothing here ; and 
these females, using the needle in their leisure hours 
only, are able to work at prices which would not allow 
professed seamstresses to subsist. To 4 put out ’ cloths 
in this way has been the usual practice for years, and 
the quality of clothing thus made, has given to this city 
the highest reputation in the markets of the South and 
the West. The value of the woolen and cotton gar¬ 
ments sold in Boston, in the year 1856, was quite 
twelve millions of dollars. At the present moment, a 
single house keeps fifty-seven male 4 cutters,’ and up¬ 
wards of five thousand female ‘sewers’ and ‘trimmers,’ 
in constant employment. The army contracts in New 
England—as we apprehend—are much less than in 
New York and Pennsylvania; yet, we are satisfied that 




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more than twenty-live thousand females are now busy 
in our cities, villages, and farm-houses. We are cer¬ 
tain, also, that another twenty-five thousand need work 
to eke out comfortable subsistence, if not, indeed, to 
prevent suffering. A Boston clothing house lately 
advertised for a hundred additional 4 sewers,’ and soon 
had more than a thousand applicants. Judge, sir, 
from this incident, of the number of females in Massa¬ 
chusetts, Maine, and the other Northern States, who 
daily look into the columns of 4 Wanted ’ in the news¬ 
papers. Still further, a Bureau of Clothing and Equip¬ 
ment in New England, Avith headquarters at Boston, 
would save the expense of transport of the cloths which 
are sent to NeAV York and Philadelphia for inspection, 
and which are returned to the contractors for clothing- 
in this city—an item, Ave need not say, of considerable 
amount. 

44 We find another element of cheapness in the prox¬ 
imity of Boston to LoAvell, Manchester, La\ATence, and 
other manufacturing cities ; since, in common with prac¬ 
tical men generally, Ave hold to the 44 making-up ” of 
goods as near the point of production as possible. AIIoav 
us next, sir, to call your attention to the subject of 
army shoes. In 1856, the manufacture of boots and 
shoes in Massachusetts alone, was 44,308,302 pairs, 
of the value of $37,468,355. A very large part was 
4 pegged Avork; nor have our manufacturers yet 
changed to an extent that is desirable. But, as there is, 
probably, more machinery in motion in this Common- 
Avealth than in any other State of the Union; and, as 
our people adapt themselves to circumstances with won- 


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derful facility, we think it entirely safe to remark, that 
in a year’s time, our shoe towns could provide for an 
army of half a million, of as good materials and work¬ 
manship, and at a lower price, than elsewhere ; for in 
this case, as in the making of clothing, females are em¬ 
ployed to do the ‘closing’ and ‘binding.' In con¬ 
clusion, sir,—and with distinct emphasis—we pro¬ 
nounce that we have no wish to interfere with the just 
claims of any of our sister States. New England has 
furnished her proportion of men and money to prevent 
the dismemberment of our common country, and asks in 
return that those of her people who remain at home 
shall be allowed a proper share of the work for the im¬ 
mense army, that, in this awful juncture, has been 
placed in the field. Boston is the second commercial 
city in the United States, and may of right—we are 
constrained to aver—may of right—claim to be placed 
on an equality, in this behalf, with New York, Phila¬ 
delphia, and Cincinnati. In the name of the eight 
hundred members of this Board, we transmit you this 
Memorial, in the earnest hope that for the reasons we 
have given, you will take immediate measures to estab¬ 
lish here a Bureau of Clothing and Equipment, not 
only for the benefit of the Government, but to help the 
wives and daughters of mechanics, farmers, fishermen, 
and day-laborers, of the six Northeastern States.” 

Such was our Memorial. More than three months have 
elapsed without an official reply. It should be stated, 
however, that Gen. Meigs, in an interview at Washing¬ 
ton, late in December, with Mr. Lincoln, a member of 
your Committee, expressed his inclination to comply 


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with our wishes, but said that his inability to detail a 
proper officer to act as the head of the Bureau, was an 
obstacle at the moment; and to do full justice to the 
Quartermaster-General, we add, that the same reason 
has since been given to all others who have reported to 
us conversations with him on the subject. The matter 
stands now, therefore, as at the beginning. Meanwhile, 
army cloths and other goods furnished the Government 
under contracts here, continue to be sent for inspection 
to New York and Philadelphia, where, owing to the 
press of business and other causes, they remain week 
after week without examination, to the serious injury of 
our merchants and manufacturers, and even to the 
Government itself; while thousands and thousands of 
women continue to need employment. 

This condition of things, your Committee venture to 
believe, ought no longer to exist, since New England 
does but claim to be placed on an equal footing with 
the Middle and Western States: and, surely, we may 
assume that if the burthens of the war are to be 
equally borne, the direct and incidental benefits of the 
war are to be shared, as nearly as may be, on the 
same principle. 

At this point we are to be met, possibly, with the 
remark that the rebellion will soon be. suppressed, 
and that a Bureau of Clothing and Equipment, on the 
return of peace, will be of inconsiderable importance. 
To this — with all deference — we reply that, whatever 
shall happen in the future, the army and navy of the 
United States — unless our statesmen utterly forget 
the lesson of the present hour — must, of necessity, 


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be much larger than at any past period of our history. 
But, whether the war come to an end in three months 
or in three years, or, whether we maintain a great or 
small force on land and sea, after restoring the integrity 
of the Union, is a matter of no consequence for the 
purposes of this report, simply because, be the supply 
of clothing and of equipments to the army and navy, 
little or much, we insist upon a just proportion of that 
supply for the Northeastern States as a right which 
belongs to them, and one which should never be 
relinquished. 

The utterance of these sentiments brings your Com¬ 
mittee to the consideration of a question of some deli¬ 
cacy. The course of the Government of this Board in 
the matters of commerce, navigation, and finance, as 
concern communications with Departments of the Fed¬ 
eral Government, since the fall of Sumter, may w T ell be 
omitted as not pertinent to this occasion: but, as 
relates to manufactures, it is of moment to observe 
that, when informed of an order to Europe to purchase 
army cloths, a correspondence was opened with the 
Quartermaster-General by telegraph, which in the end, 
by despatches and letters, become somewhat elaborate, 
and which was concluded with the utmost good feeling 
on both sides. Indeed, the record of the Committee 
appointed to adopt measures in the case (at discretion) 
and the report of Mr. Bond, who was deputed to pro¬ 
ceed to Washington, make honorable and frequent 
mention of the courtesy, the devotion to duty, and the 
admirable business qualities of Gen. Meigs, to which 
the Government of this Board gave unqualified assent. 


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and which, we now gladly recall, and record anew. 
Yet, and with entire respect for the judgment and 
character of that distinguished officer, duty to this 
section of the country compels us to counsel steady 
perseverence in the endeavor to obtain at his hands, 
a participation in the benefits of his Department, in 
the manner so often indicated in this Report. 

The modes of action which readily suggest them¬ 
selves are two, namely, a second direct appeal to 
Gen. Meigs himself, or an address to the members 
of both Houses of Congress from the Northeastern 
States, asking for their influence with Gen. Meigs to 
grant our request, which, upon the calmest view, is 
important not merely to the largest but to all of 
these States as well as to the Federal Government. 

Your Committee, in conclusion, refrain from recom¬ 
mendations, preferring rather, under the circumstances 
of the case, to ask your advice as to their future pro¬ 
ceedings. 

Respectfully submitted, 

GARDNER BREWER, 

F. W. LINCOLN, Jr., 

GEO. WM. BOND, 

GEO. C. RICHARDSON, 

JAS. C. CONVERSE. 


Office Board Trade , Boston, March 6, 1862. 


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Office Board of Trade, ) 

Boston, March 7, 1862. ) 

Special Meeting of the Government of this Board at 1 o’clock 
P. M., this day, for the purpose of acting upon the foregoing 
Report. The attendance was greater than on any former occa¬ 
sion for four years. 

Present, the 

President. 

Edward S. Tobey. 


Vice Presidents. 

James C. Converse, Charles G. Nazro. 

George C. Richardson, 

Of the Committee on Appeals. 

William Perkins, William B. Spooner, 

George B. Upton, 

Of the Committee on Arbitration. 

Benjamin E. Bates, Solomon R. Spaulding, 

Frederic W. Lincoln, Jr., 

Of the Committee upon Inquiry into the Causes of 'Shipwreck. 

Charles J. Morrill, P. Adams Ames, 

David D. Stackpole. 

Of Committee on Finance. 

Augustus Flagg, Joseph S. Ropes, 

Gerry W. Cochrane, 


Directors. 


Thomas Aspinwall, 
Samuel Atherton, 
Edward Atkinson, 
James H. Beal, 


Henry J. Gardner, 
Samuel H. Gookin, 
William Hilton, 

J. B. Kimball, 


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Charles Bockus, 
George Wm. Bond, 
Gardner Brewer, 
Erastus B. Bigelow, 
Cyrus Dupee, 
Arthur L. Devens, 
Ezra Farnsworth, 
Joseph S. Fay, 


Abner Kingman, 

Ammi C. Lombard, 
Francis C. Manning, 
Otis Norcross, 
Charles W. Scudder, 
William Thomas, 

John H. Thorndike, 
Samuel H. Walley. 


The Report was read, discussed, slightly amended, and as 
here printed, unanimously adopted, with directions to transmit 
a copy thereof to General M. C. Meigs, Quartermaster-Gen¬ 
eral of the United States Army. 


Attest, 


LORENZO SABINE, 

Secretary. 














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